Rebels, others to decide fate of Maharashtra: Opinion poll

The Maharashtra assembly polls is likely to throw up a fractured verdict with neither ruling Congress-Nationalist Congress Party-led alliance nor the Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiv Sena combine securing a clear majority on its own, an NDTV-Indian Express opinion poll said on Monday night.

The poll showed that the Congress-NCP alliance is likely to emerge with the largest number of seats: 132 out of the total of 288. The BJP-Shiv Sena is likely to get 111 seats with others, including rebels from both sides, taking 45. Thus, neither of the alliances would get a majority on their own.

The opinion poll conducted over five regions in the state with a sample size of over 30,000 voters showed that rebels are likely to damage the electoral prospects of both the alliances.

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In western Maharashtra where 72 assembly seats are at stake, the Congress-NCP is expected to get 43 seats while the BJP-Sena is projected to get 17 seats.

In Vidarbha with a total of 66 seats, the Congress-NCP is expected to get 23 seats and the Sena-BJP 31 seats. In Marathwada with 48 seats, the ruling front is expected to get 19 seats and the BJP-Shiv Sena 21.

In northern Maharashtra, the Congress-NCP is expected to bag 14 of the 36 seats up for grabs with BJP-Sena taking 16.

Out of the 36 seats in Mumbai, the ruling alliance is expected to secure 24 and the saffron combine 10.

Of the 30 seats at stake in the Konkan region, the Congress-NCP is likely to bag nine seats and the BJP-Shiv Sena 16.